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Three Tips to Selling a Home in the Winter

Winter is generally considered a slow period for selling homes, but studies show the season isn’t as bad as some people think.

Winter isn’t well regarded as far as selling homes go, but with the right real estate marketing tactics, your agent can make sure you see some pay off with a sold home as the temperature gets colder. In fact, in one real estate analysis of homes listed, Redfin found some surprising results for winter sales. Homes listed during the winter are actually 9 percentage points more likely to sell. Not only that, but they sell faster – typically about a week quicker – and for 1.2 percentage points more relative to list price than houses listed in other seasons.

As long as it’s done properly, listing homes in the winter can actually be an advantage. There are a number of ways to do this, ranging from reworking listing prices to enhancing aesthetic values. Here are three tips to sell your home during the winter months:

One – Your Home Should Look Good From the Street
Winter isn’t a great time for the exterior of any home in a colder climate. For this reason, sellers need to spruce up their houses to make them more attractive to potential home buyers. It is helpful to have:

A fresh coat of paint to the front door

Gardens should be prepared for the winter (mow the lawn and trim up hedges)

Walkways and the driveways should always be clear of snow and ice

Two – Adjust Prices to the Winter market
Also be sure to adjust the price according to how homes sell in your area during the winter. Keep in mind there will likely be fewer buyers, and adjust the price accordingly so that it is more attractive to everyone searching the market, rather than a select few.

Three – Use the small winter inventory to highlight features
Similarly, there will also be fewer homes on the market. This means it will be easier to highlight features that make your home stand out from the competition. There are a number of things that can be highlighted to make a home more attractive to winter buyers:

What does the home offer that others don’t? A nice deck? Spacious lower level?

Does the community offer special amenities? Tennis courts? Parks and playgrounds?

Does the property offer easy proximity for commuters or shopping and restaurant districts?

Ultimately winter doesn’t have to be a slow period to sell your home.

Brought to you by our preferred Partner, HMS Home Warranty. HMS is an industry leader with over 30 years of creating success for clients and providing peace of mind for customers. To learn more click www.hmsnational.com.